THOSE of you lucky enough still to be living in North Wales have special reason to be thankful at the moment. I've been a tax exile in Leeds for over a decade now, which has generally been very pleasant, certainly pleasant enough for me not to respond to the request to "Stand Up If You Hate England" at most of our away games. There are times, however, when I yearn to flee back over the border, especially over the last few days.

Suddenly, everyone in England appears to have become a fan of a strange pastime involving lots of overweight blokes flopping in a big heap on top of an odd egg-like object. When it has been retrieved, a smaller bloke kicks it as far as he can downfield and they all get up and chase it. They call it "rugby union" and it's all the rage round here I can tell you - at least it has been since last Saturday morning.

There have been numerous radio debates about whether this new ball-game will replace "soccer", as the rugby chaps describe it, as the nation's favourite. I doubt it. My least pleasurable spectating experience ever wasn't a 5-2 defeat at Turf Moor on New Year's day, nor a 7-1 defeat for Wales in Eindhoven. It was, in fact, Birkenhead Park v Orrell on a chilly November afternoon. We went along with some family friends who had been staunch Evertonians, but had packed their son off to a posh school and suddenly "discovered" rugby.

It was many years ago but I still remember the utter futility of what I was witnessing. There were about 200 other people in the crowd. I think it finished 3-3 but I was in the clubhouse well before the final whistle, check-ing the football scores on Grandstand.

I did go and watch Wrexham RUFC a couple of times in the 80s, when they drew big South Walian sides in the old Schweppes Cup. That was better, but there was never a chance of an "Arsenal-type" upset because they just don't happen in rugby union.

The manner in which England achieved their win was commendable and, granted, some of football's big names could learn lessons from the way the players conducted themselves, but don't keep subjecting me to a chorus of "Swing Low" every time I turn on the television.

Okay, rant over. I'm just jealous that some-one's got something to celebrate. Wales blow qualification, Wrexham stumble to a goalless home draw against the bottom side and Leeds United, my "bread and butter", slide towards relegation and administration.

Come to think of it, when are the Llanelli Ospreys - or is it Scarlets? - next playing at the Racecourse?